After exploring the Golden Circle, we rejoined Route 1 and headed east along Iceland's breathtaking south coast. The next few days treated us to non-stop spectacular views and near perfect weather conditions. From towering waterfalls to black sand beaches, South Iceland has it all. While some people visit many of the region's highlights in a long day tour from Reykjavik, you'll need far more time to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Click on the top left icon in the Google Map below to explore each region in Iceland:

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss was arguably our favorite waterfall in Iceland. It may not be as big and powerful as others, but it offers visitors an amazing opportunity to get up close and personal. A narrow footpath leads you under the cliff and behind the waterfall. Make sure to bring a heavy raincoat as you're bound to get soaked.

Just a few hundred meters or so from Seljalandsfoss is Gljúfrabúi. This hidden waterfall is tucked inside a small canyon, but can be accessed by walking along the shallow stream. Be prepared to snap a few dramatic (and shameless) photos standing at the foot of the falls.

Northern Lights

We spent our first night in South Iceland camped out right in from of Seljalandfoss. As the crowds thinned out, we got the waterfall entirely to ourselves during the sunset. Even more spectacular, once the sun fully set, we were treated to unobstructed views of the northern lights. They are even more beautiful in person than in photos. The lights create a hypnotic effect as they ripple through the sky. Huge thanks to Jen for dragging my ass out of bed at midnight to see the lights. An even bigger thanks goes to the helpful Frenchman who showed us how to use our own cameras :)

Skógafoss

By this point in our trip, you would think we'd be over seeing so many waterfalls. Somehow, we never got sick of them. Each is unique and majestic in its own way. Compared to Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss strikes a far more imposing figure. You can climb to the top of the falls via a steep footpath for a unique angle from above. After visiting the falls, head out towards the parking lot entrance for some food cart fish and chips.

Solheimasandur Plane Wreck

Who knew that an abandoned plane wreck would make for such a picturesque destination? After parking right off Route 1, be prepared for a long 4 km walk along the black sand beach to get to the wreckage site. It's a bit of an arduous and monotonous hike, but it makes for a memorable experience nonetheless.

Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara

One of South Iceland's most impressive and distinguishing features is its black sand beaches. The best places to experience them are along the shores of Reynisfjara and the volcanic peninsula of Dyrhólaey. You can climb a top the area's massive arches and geometric basalt stacks. Just be weary of surprisingly strong and unpredictable waves along the shore.

Scenes From The Road

As I've said in pretty much every other Iceland-related blog post, the best parts of our trip were the in-betweens. In addition to the aforementioned "must sees", you should also go for a dip in the hidden Seljavallalaug and take a break in the seaside town of Vik.

We actually started our Ring Road adventureoff the Ring Road. Like most visitors, our first excursion outside of Reykjavik was the Golden Circle. Once you leave the city, you immediately notice the changing natural beauty. As the snow slowly melts in late spring, subtle hues of green, yellow and red start to spread across the landscape.

To be completely honest, we didn't intend on staying in the area too long. The Golden Circle is without a doubt the most heavily trafficked tourist destination in Iceland. It's home to many of the country's most famous natural landmarks all within a short drive from Reykjavik. Even during the off season, we were greeted by rows of large tour buses at every single stop. However, don't let that stop you from visiting the Golden Circle. If you're short on time, it's the perfect way to get a glimpse of Iceland's natural beauty.

A few noteworthy destinations along the Golden Circle include:

Þingvellir: This natural park holds great natural and historic significance in Iceland. It lies in a rift valley that sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The park is also recognized as the first assembly place for Iceland's national parliament.

Geysir & Stokkur: The Golden Circle is home to two of Iceland's most famous and active geysers. While the Great Geysir isn't nearly as active, Stokkur erupts every few minutes, so you're bound to catch a few eruptions during your visit.

Gullfoss: You can get up close an personal to experience the power of this iconic waterfall. Gullfoss can be viewed from multiple angles and elevations, so take your time exploring every pathway. Be sure to stop at the visitor center for some surprisingly delicious lamb stew.

Gamla Laugin ("Secret Lagoon"): After visiting so many attractions, you're going to need a break. A short drive south of Gullfoss is the Secret Lagoon. At 2800 ISK, entrance isn't cheap. However, you gain access to beautiful natural hot springs and, more importantly, a much needed respite from the crowds.

Circumnavigate the entire country. That was the one goal I had in mind from the moment I started planning our trip to Iceland. I had read so much about the Ring Road and my Instagram feed was inundated with beautiful images of remote glaciers, fjords and waterfalls. I read dozens of blog posts, scanned endless TripAdvisor forums and watched countless videos on YouTube all in search of the perfect itinerary. The more I researched, the more overwhelmed I felt. There were so many "must sees", and as with any great vacation, simply not enough time.

As my Icelandair flight touched down at Keflavik Airport, I felt woefully unprepared. Thankfully, we had 2 days in Reykjavik before we were scheduled to set off on our road trip. Jen and I spent hours each night doing some last minute research. We created a Google map with all the places we had to visit. This is what it ended up looking like:

Needless to say, we were planning to bite off way more than we could chew. As we sat in our campervan that first morning ready to embark on this awesome adventure, a sudden feeling of "what now?" rushed over us. I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to turn left or right to leave the hotel parking lot. It's at that moment you just say "fuck it" and start driving. If I can give one word of advice to everyone planning their own Iceland road trip, it would be to not over prepare. Nothing is going to go exactly as planned. One tiny road closure could completely alter your trip. To get the most out of this adventure, you have to be flexible, adventurous and spontaneous.

I'm not even going to attempt to propose an itinerary. Instead, I just wanted to share a few key tips before you hit the road!

1. Give yourself plenty of time

Iceland is a relatively small country. It's about the same size as Ohio. In fact, the Ring Road is just over 800 miles long. If you were to drive without stopping, it would only take 15 hours to circumnavigate. With that in mind, you might think you would only need a few days to travel around the entire country and hit up the best sites. Wrong. This sounds so cliched, but this road trip is all about the journey, not the destination. We loved the top attractions like Seljalandsfoss and Jökulsárlón. However, the true highlight of the trip was the drive itself. We constantly found ourselves taking detours, exploring tiny hamlets or simply pulling to the side of the road and soaking in the views. As a general rule of thumb, I would allocate at least 8-10 days to circle the country. Even then, you might feel pretty rushed. In the summer months when many of the F-roads open up to the the highlands and the Westfjords, you could easily spend an entire month exploring Iceland.

2. Go "off-season"

The most popular time to visit Iceland is without a doubt the peak summer months from June to August. The temperature rises, the highland roads open up and the sun doesn't set until midnight. On the flip side, prices skyrocket during these popular months and you will likely have to deal with more crowds throughout your trip. Additionally, you won't be able to catch a glimpse of the beautiful northern lights due to the endless daylight. I would suggest visiting during the shoulder seasons (spring and autumn). The landscape is arguably even more dramatic and you'll be able to find travel and accommodation options at much more reasonable rates.

3. Rent a campervan

If you want complete freedom and flexibility, the best mode of transportation is a campervan. You don't have to worry about booking accommodations every single night or rushing to the next pit stop to make your reservation. In Iceland, a "law of survival" legally allows you to park your van pretty much anywhere overnight. We camped out in front of a waterfall one night and behind a gas station the next. Don't worry, the gas station wasn't as sketchy as it sounds. More on that later. If you visit during the peak summer seasons, multiple camp sites open up around the country and offer full amenities for guests. There are tons of reputable campervan companies in Reykjavik. We ended up picking a smaller family-owned operator called Cozy Campers. It ended up being a great decision as they were extremely friendly and accommodating. They extended our return time so we didn't have to rush back to Reykjavik on our very last day.

4. Don't forget the essentials

In addition to plenty of layers, here are a few other necessities to pick up before you head out on your road trip!

Lonely Planet Iceland Guide: The most comprehensive (and recently updated) guide book for Iceland. Many of their excursion and restaurant recommendations (shockingly) were spot on.

iPad mini and Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader: I knew I was going to take hundred if not thousands of photos on my Sony a6000. The lightning converter allowed me to quickly upload all my hi-res photos to my iPad, sync them in my Google Drive account and edit them with Snapseed and VSCO. It also allowed me to leave my laptop at home and save a significant amount of space when packing.

Snow Peak Titanium Mug and Coffee Drip: I'm a sucker for a good pour over coffee, especially when you're sipping it while watching the sun rise over snow-capped mountains. Snow Peak's collapsible coffee dripprovided the perfect compact and easy-to-clean solution.

No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Card with Chip: Don't bother carrying too much cash on you while in Iceland. Literally every place in the country accepts and prefers credit cards. Just make sure you have a credit card with a chip as most places won't allow you to swipe your card. Although it's not currently very prevalent in the US, it's also extremely helpful to have a PIN-enabled credit card. Many machine readers (particularly at gas stations) require this. No one wants to see your John Hancock.

Pocket WiFi: Connectivity is great throughout the entire country, even in some of the remotest corners we visited. Before leaving Reykjavik, we picked up a pocket WiFi from Iceland Camping Equipment. We chose this over standard pre-paid SIM cards as it enabled us to access the internet from all of our devices simultaneously.

Bose Portable Speaker: Although 4G connectivity is pretty much ubiquitous, the radio can be very spotty outside of Reykjavik. We spent long stretches of our ride listening to static. Additionally, unless you love Icelandic reggae (yes, it's really a thing), you should consider supplying your own music. Most campervans won't be USB or bluetooth compatible, so it's helpful to bring a portable speaker.

5. Pick a direction

The last critical decision you need to make before embarking is whether to travel clockwise or counterclockwise around the island. The reason I say to save this for last is because the natural elements in Iceland can change in a heart beat. Keep an eye out for shifting weather conditions throughout the island as they might force you to change up your itinerary. Additionally, depending on the time of year, you can choose to visit North or South Iceland first to capture the most sunlight. If you're chasing the Northern Lights, visibility is extremely temperamental and varies throughout the country at any given time. This is why we ultimately chose to travel counterclockwise. The visibility in the south was great during the first few days and allowed us to see the Northern Lights on 3 consecutive nights.

6. Stay alert

I've said this a few times already, but it's worth repeating. The weather in Iceland can be very unpredictable. One minute, it will be warm and sunny without a cloud in the sky. 30 minutes later, you could be driving right into a snow storm. That's exactly what happened to us. As we curved along the eastern fjords towards the sprawling town (population: 2,000) of Egilsstaðir, mother nature threw us a curveball. We found ourselves in a complete whiteout with minimal visibility. While we originally planned on driving straight to Mývatn, we were forced so stop in the town overnight due to deteriorating road conditions. Thankfully, we stayed up to date with Vegagerðin (road.is), the official website for Iceland's road administration. The site provides nearly real time updates on road closures and dangerous driving conditions. It was invaluable throughout our journey in flagging upcoming detours. Another important website to bookmark on your phone is vedur.is. In addition to real-time weather conditions, the site provides a very helpful aurora forecast.

7. Take a dip

There's no better way to relax before and after a long day of driving than a dip in one of Iceland's countless public geothermal pools. These naturally heated hot pots are great places to unwind and even mingle with the locals. If you're traveling via campervan, they're also great places to take a quick shower and clean up a bit. Just make sure youfollow the rules. You must shower naked before getting in the water with your bathing suit on. Our favorite public pool was in the small town of Hofsós. The ultra-modern facilities are spotless, and the swimming pool sits right on the edge overlooking Skagafjörður

8. Enjoy the surf & turf

If you love lamb and lobster, you will love Icelandic cuisine. Almost every single one of our meals included one or both of those ingredients. From lamb stew to grilled lobster, we couldn't get enough.

9. Drink from the tap

Of all the things you will have to pay for in Iceland, water is not one of them. You can find clean, fresh drinking water pretty much everywhere, including gas station bathrooms. If you still prefer to drop 500 Icelandic Króna on a bottled of water, be prepared for some awkward looks at checkout.

10. Find a great travel companion

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, find a great travel companion for your adventure! Jen perfectly offset my naturally cautious and tense demeanor. It didn't hurt that she was more than happy to take the wheel from time to time. More importantly, we survived 2 weeks in a van without killing one another :)

If you haven't noticed, I've fallen way behind on my blog posts. There's still so much that has transpired this year that I haven't had a chance to write about! I promise to get to everything...eventually. Over the past few weeks, I've been getting a bunch of e-mails and messages from friends, family members and readers who are planning upcoming trips to Iceland. Therefore, I've decided to skip ahead a few posts and dive right into my 2 week adventure around the Nordic island with Jen. I'll be breaking up this series into a few individual posts covering various destinations along the Ring Road and around the country. To kick things off, it only seemed appropriate to start in Iceland's buzzing capitol of Reykjavik!

With a population of roughly 120,000, Reykjavik might seem like a small town to most of us. How much could you possibly see and do there? Once you arrive, you quickly realize that Reykjavik punches well above its weight. From cutting edge design to world class restaurants, the city manages to pack so many highlights into its tiny frame

If you are planning an upcoming trip to Iceland, I would recommend allocating at least 1-2 full days in Reykjavik. You would be remiss if you only considered the city a quick jumping off point to the Golden Circle. If you are driving the entire Route 1, definitely plan on spending a full day in Reykjavik before and after your road trip. Trust me. Once you've spent a few days in rural Iceland, Reykjavik will quickly feel like a sprawling metropolis.

I've compiled a handy list and map of our favorite places to sleep, eat, shop and visit while in Reykjavik. This list is by no means exhaustive. However, it should serve as a good starting point particularly for those short on time. Enjoy!

Where to sleep

Other than a single Hilton, the city is short on big global hotel chains. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. There are dozens of great boutique design hotels that won't break the bank.

Skuggi Hotel: A fairly new hotel situated within walking distance of Laugavegur, Reykjavik's main shopping thoroughfare. Great design, cozy rooms and complimentary breakfast made this the perfect home base for our first 2 nights in Iceland.

Icelandair Hotel Marina: Situated on the city's harbor, this hotel is full of character and has an awesome restaurant for afternoon bite or tipple. The rooms may be tiny, but many of them come with a spacious balcony overlooking the old town. We stayed here on our last night in Iceland.

What to eat

I'll be completely honest. We had very low expectations for the food in Iceland. We were prepared for a diet primarily consisting of hot dogs, lamb's head and skyr. However, we were truly blown away by the cuisine in Iceland. Pretty much everything we ate during our trip was fresh, flavorful and downright delicious.

Grillmarkaðurinn: Hands down our favorite restaurant in Reykjavik if not the entire country. We enjoyed it so much our first time around that we decided to go back again for our last meal in Iceland. Although advanced bookings are highly recommended, you can also snag a seat at the counter in front of the grill. Strike up a conversation with the grillmaster and he might just sneak you some extra portions of lamb chops, grilled lobster and chicken wings.

KEX Hostel: Tucked inside an old biscuit factory, this "hipster hostel" has a great bar open to everyone. Make sure to try one of the many Icelandic beers on tap.

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur: I'm generally not a big fan of hot dogs. That completely changed when I got to Iceland. Often considered the country's "national dish", Icelandic hot dogs are uniquely different from their American counterparts. They're made mostly of Icelandic lamb and generously topped with fried onions, remoulade and a flavorful brown mustard called pylsusinnep. All together, it makes for a delicious morning, afternoon or late night snack. To find Reykjavik's best hot dog, head downtown to a Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. This tiny food stand has been around for decades and is always packed with hungry patrons.

Rejkjavik Roasters: My favorite coffee shop and roaster in Reykjavik. The friendly service and laid back vibes make this the perfect morning and afternoon pit stop. When the weather's nice, you can grab a seat out front on one of the large planks.

Where to shop

Although not as well known for design and fashion as some of its Scandinavian counterparts, Iceland has its own unique style that rivals the likes of Denmark and Sweden. We were tempted to buy a lopapeysa, but ultimately realized that an Icelandic wool sweater wouldn't serve much purpose in Dallas or Tokyo. However, we definitely didn't leave Reykjavik empty handed.

Geysir: My favorite store in Reykjavik. Although they carry a handful of great international (particularly Danish) labels, the best bets are their in-house designed clothes and accessories. I somehow managed to cram a few scarves, wool blankets and candles into my tiny carry-on.

Outdoor gear: Icelanders are used to the natural elements to say the least. From dust storms to volcanic eruptions and blizzards, you have to be prepared for pretty much every curve ball imaginable. Thankfully, they have some awesome outdoor clothing labels like 66°NORTH,Icewearand Cintamani.

Penninn Eymundsson: Iceland's "go-to" bookstore with multiple locations around the city and country. Most of them are connected to a Te & Kaffi outpost so you can grab a latte while you shop.

Gallery Gallera: Fun shop filled with artwork, books and shirts all designed by local artists.

Bónus: Iceland's best known budget grocery store. This is where you go to stock up on an insane amount of deli meats, pastas, skyr and snacks before embarking on a road trip.

What to see

The main attraction in Iceland is the breathtaking natural surrounding. However, Reykjavik has quite a few noteworthy attractions of its own.

Harpa: This glass-encased concert hall sits in stark contrast to the typically understated Icelandic architecture that is prevalent throughout Reykjavik. Visitors are free to explore the airy interiors and peruse the handful of gift shops on the main floor.

Hallgrímskirkja: Undoubtedly the most most iconic building in Reykjavik, the church towers over the city. Its white concrete exterior inspired by basalt formations creates an imposing yet beautiful figure. Make sure to visit the observation tower at the top of the church for panoramic views of the city.

Solfar Sun Voyager: The metal structure itself isn't all that exciting. However, its location right on the water's edge creates a beautiful backdrop from sunrise to sunset.

CityWalk: If you're looking for a fun way to explore the city and learn a bit more about Icelandic history, make sure to join this free walking tour. The guides are all very knowledgeable and personable.

As a part of our 10 day trip to Japan last month, we spent 2 nights north of Tokyo at the beautiful Satoyama Jujo. After running his first marathon, Michael was eager to get some much needed R&R at one of Japan's renowned ryokans. What better way to work off the aches and pains of 26.2 miles than soaking in a natural hot spring?

I had found Satoyama Jujo on Tabletand was immediately drawn to its perfect location in Japan's heaviest snowfall region. As our bullet train sped its way through the Japanese countryside, we were a bit nervous about the complete lack of snow. In fact, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. However, as soon as the train passed through a tunnel under the Tanigawa mountain range, we were treated to a complete white-out. It couldn't have been more different than sunny Tokyo only 90 minutes away.

For anyone looking for a quick escape from Tokyo, Satoyama Jujo is the perfect destination. The ryokan brings together the best of traditional and modern Japanese architecture. Guests are treated to warm service, healthy and fresh meals, tranquil onsens and jawdropping scenery. Below are some scenes from our 2 night stay!